Meanwhile, over in Eastern Europe...

News of the now-violent protests in Ukraine are hard to ignore, especially since I visited the country for the first time four years ago. I figured, "hey, it's part of my background, so might as well check out the motherland, eh?" While there, I was struck by how poor the country was in a number of ways:

There was a dog sleeping in between the double glass doors at the airport

Sidewalks were never shovelled, and instead people just walked on tamped-down snow (the old ladies were especially impressive at this)

No heating whatsoever on the metro, but at least using it was incredibly cheap (just don't try and cheat the turnstile, as there are horror stories of claws extending from the sides and clamping you in place until the authorities arrive)

The cars. They are not the kinds of cars that North Americans are used to seeing, and saying Ukrainian cars are economical is being diplomatic

Apartments—or at least the apartment I stayed in—are Soviet-style military barracks, with multiple units on the same city block and an interior design that redefines "ramshackle"

(This is the apartment I stayed in)


There are a lot more examples, of course, but it's definitely not a country for the pampered to visit. It's a totally different way of living and can be a huge culture shock.

But now that I'm hearing of the bloody protests going on in Ukraine, it's a little sobering. I remember seeing Yulia Timoshenko's face everywhere: on billboards, TV commercials and, what was the most startling, on the walls by metro elevators with her and her Princess Leia hairdo as she cuddled a white tiger.

It wasn't exactly the most prosperous country and there was still widespread corruption, but things were relatively peaceful and even the drunks on the metro just smiled happily from beneath heavy-lidded eyes. Maidan Nezalezhnosti, or Independence Square, in the middle of Kyiv was a place where face-painting and brewed tea were available.

Now, it's where people who fight for their beliefs die.

Although the exact toll is unknown, dozens of people have died so far as they've clashed with the police, and with Prime Minister Victor Yanukovitch indirectly. There are many issues at play here, but the biggest one is total Ukrainian independence versus close ties with Russia.

Personally, I'm with the younger crowd who want to cut off ties with Russia and forge their own path and secretly cheering they "win", but with personal ties to the country, I just hope it all ends soon.